Often it is desired to remove liquids or particulate matter from a desired location within a patient, either through an orifice in the patient or percutaneously. Various methods of removal are known in the art, from direct removal during percutaneous surgery, or with a medical device, such as forceps, a grasper, a snare, a basket or other structures that can be introduced to a specific location within the patient. In some embodiments, the medical device may be positioned within the patient with use of an endoscope, or through a sheath disposed to orient and maneuver the medical device to the desired location. The medical device can then be manipulated by the physician to obtain and retract the particulate matter from the patient.
A disadvantage of removal using a medical device in this manner is that if multiple particulates are desired to be removed, the physician often must serially remove portions of the particulate matter by sequentially inserting and positioning the device, obtaining a portion of the particulate matter in conjunction with the device, fully removing the device and particulate matter from the patient, and then reinserting and repositioning the device to capture and remove additional particulate matter. This serial, repeated process takes a significant amount of time, which makes medical procedures less efficient, causes additional complications, and is generally disadvantageous. Further, this method is often not suitable for removing fluids from within the patients, only particulate matter.
It is known to remove particulate matter and/or fluids from a patient by inserting a sheath or other conduit with a lumen formed therein to a desired location within a patient, which can provide for fluid communication between the desired location and a source of suction, either continuously or periodically. While this method may be an improvement over removal methods using a medical device to mechanically remove particulate matter from a patient, it is often difficult, tedious, and time consuming to selectively allow and prevent suction communication through the conduit.